The Portland daily press., 1887-01-24
A MAINE MIsER.
The Last Days Of a DamarIscotta
Lawyer.
Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars Found
In His Den.
His Homo Broken Up and His Chill
dren BanIshed.

A well known character in Lincoln county
was Nathaniel N. Pike. who died in Damar-
lscotta in the early part Of last week at the
age Of CT. He was a lank, long-limbed six
foOter, says a correspondent Of the Boston
Herald, erect as a candle when he walked
and, when not riding, it was his practice TO
sport a cane. Forty years ago he came to
the ancient and thrifty town Of Damaris-
Gotta, from the western part Of the State,
and taught winter term Of school. As soon
as his pedagogical services were ended he
entered into law copartnership with the
late Hon. Ezra b. French, which lasted until
Mr.. French was elected 10 Congress m 1857,
when it was dissolved, and Pike devoted
himself alone TO his profession ever after
ward. He was a fairly well read lawyer, but
never achieved distinction.
During his partnership with French he
married woman by whom he had four or
five children, all Of whom died except two
girls. His wife was an eccentric person. She
dressed In Bloomer costume and carried a
cane. For some reason or other they separ-
ated, and he procured a bill Of divorce. She
t%hen % went to Massachusetts with the two
spirltualtstlc doctor. In the course Of
few years he wooed and welded a highly re-
spectacle young lady resident Of the village.
AtterAllvlng two or three years Of married
an inmate Of the State Insane Hospital.
Pike led single life ever afterward. His
only companion was a dog. His two daagh-
ters were educated by their mother, and
never visited him. One Of them Is now an
accomplished music teacher, and the other
n cfa ,har nuf Uaat a..A knkt
are highly esteemed by all who know them.
Two miles from Damariscotta village, Pike
lived in small II story, wOod-eolored farm
house, located In field which went to make
up the 80 or 60 acres, which comprised the
farm. The property came into Pixies pos
session some 10 years ago by foreclosure Of a
mortgage he held on ii. During the past five
years he divided his time In farming and
picking up what little law practice he could
get, which did not amount TO much, and con-
sisted mostly In making conveyances. He
kept a small herd Of cattle and horse, OF
which animal he was very fond. Early
last fall family who had lived In the house
Tor nearly two years, and with whom Pike
boarded, moved away, and this left him the
sole occupant. During his life, Pike was
known as elOse-dsted, sordid man, and the
older ne grew, the more parsimenious and
mlserly he became. No tramp ever wore
more slovenly and tattered clothes than he.
AN old eastaway hat that he picked up
was such niggard that, 1t Is said, he never
bought daily newspaper In his life. Once
when he boarded at hotel Ii was with the
understanding that he should eat but one
meal daily, In order to avoid expense. His
neighbors looked upon him as a Shyl0ck and
a miser. A bill could not be collected against
him, because II he had any property, it was
beyond the reach Of the sheriff. His miserly
habits 50 grew on him that he deprived him
sell Of the actual necessities Of life. He be-
IN fpnn fhaf 70
In the dead Of winter, and obvious Of his
own comfort. 1t was his habit to boil large
pot OF potatoes and make up big batch Of
potatoes at intervals, which subsistence he
would make last as long as possible. During
the zero weather OF the present winter, he
would visit his neighbors frequently 10 warm
himself, instead OF building fire In his own
~house.
rSyQ days before he died, although suffer-
ing with pneumonia, he heard hen cackling
and went 10 the barn IN search OF the egg.
One Of his neigR hors, who was with him In
the house at the tim He started out, endeav-
OTed to demonstrate N him Tor going,
when he replied In feeC Il couldn't
have the egg freeze" SUI. Pike
was seized with pneumonia, nee saI.-
moned physicion, who fastened at once to
his house. Pike was found In his kitchen,
sitting In a chair before a dirty, cracked cook
stove, In which an alder fire was burning.
and which scarcely warmed the apartment
Oh AtNOAAAb OA tut COtu CufIGnL OA which
peryaded 1t. The clothing he wore consisted
Of an old coat In shreds and pair Of thin,
dirty Overalls, He had no vest, nothing TO
protect his chest but cotton shirt. Socks
and slippers completed his outfit. The room
was destitute of furniture, and the floor
looked as II 1t had never seen soap and
water. IL was squalid and filthy In the ex-
treme. The doctor gave the sick man medl-
cine and told him that he must take to his
bed. Before he left Pike directed him
~ mil a.aaes - n
Two days passed and Pike grew worse,
and the doctor was summoned again. The
following day the doctor was again sent for
and brought with him friend Of Pike, who
had expressed a wish to see him. Entering
the kitchen, the physician was amazed to
lind his patient still occupying the chair In
the last stages Of pneumonia. with some
half-a-dozen of his neighbors gathered about
him. This farce has been carried on long
enough" exclaimed the doctor to Pike. Ell
l am to continue to treat you, ycu must. and
shall, go 70 bed" An adjoining room was
known to be where Pike had always slept.
None Of those present had ever entered Ii.
At the request OF the doctor, two Of the com
pany, with himself, went to the door with q
view Of preparing his bed and placing him
upon it. The door was thrown open and a
more wretched apartment was never disclosed
TO their astonished gaze There was dirt on
the floor, dirt on the walls, dirt everywhere,
and the bed consisted Of straw which looked
as If 1t had passed through dozen threshing
machines. There was pile Of filthy and
Od0rous rags. In the shape Of bed clothing.
Standing against the wall was an DID, be
grimed bookcase, containing a handful Of
law books.
The neighbors fastened TO their homes to
procure various articles Of bedding, but be-
fore they returned Pike had breathed his
last; he had died sitting in his chair. On
the morning Of his death he was asked to
disclose to some OF the neighbors the where
abOuts Of sister and his two dauQhters In
order that they could send for them. but ne
refused because he would have 10 pay the ex-
penses of their journey. When he was told,
while In a dying condition, that II he had
anything 70 say or anything to do, it must be
done immediately, he made no reply, but on
ly gazed about with a vacant stare. In If
teen minutes afterward death claimed the
| mlser-lawyer as one Of Its victims.
The singular part OF the story Is 10 come.
| None Of the Damariscotta people ever sup
| posed that Pike was well on, much less
| dreamed that he was one Of their richest cit
| liens. They only knew that he possessed a
i little property, and had reason 10 believe
that II he had any money twas boarded
away, but II could not be a large sum. In
searching his chamber an old trunk was
| found, containing a decent suit OF clothes,
| which nobody had ever seen him wear, but
i greater prize than this was discovered.
| Secreted in the trunk we're national bank
bills, bonds and evidences Of cash deposits,
he get this wealth? Some say: "Ile got the
most Of 1t during the construction Of the
| Knox Il Lincoln railroad. The labOrers EN-
ployed were mostly dissipated foreigners
and when payday came there was nothing
due them. Pike had drawn their pay on or
ders which they had sold him at an enormous
discount This Is the only way that his &C
cumulatlons can be accounted for. Thi
| wealth he leaves surprises everybody.
will 90 to his two daughters"